Alex Wilson and Suzy Batkovic have won WNBL awards. Alex Wilson has won the rookie of the year award while Batkovic has again been named in the All Star Five.Source: News Limited

TOWNSVILLE Fire guard Alex Wilson will enter Saturday’s crunch game against the Melbourne Boomers as the 2013/14 Women’s National Basketball League rookie of the year.

Wilson, 19, was stunned to learn of her award last weekend before embarking on the Fire’s victorious road double against Melbourne and the Sydney Uni Flames, paying tribute to captain Rachel McCully for transforming her from fresh-faced newcomer to integral team member.

The South Australian junior rejected offers from other WNBL clubs last year to link with Fire coach Chris Lucas, who Wilson knew from representative duties, and is now grateful to have made “the right choice” as her team surges towards finals’ basketball.

“I don’t know if things would have turned out like this for me anywhere else,” Wilson said.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster and it picks you up, and to be in a team that’s made finals while being a rookie is huge.

“If I get the opportunity to play a big role (in finals) hopefully I take it and make the most of it.”

Wilson has played all of the Fire’s 23 games this season and averages more than 12 minutes a game — an impressive effort for a WNBL rookie playing in a strong squad featuring McCully, American import Kayla Standish and reigning MVP Suzy Batkovic.

Batkovic received her own massive news after being named in the WNBL’s 2013/14 All-Star Five.

The Australian Opals centre has had an outstanding season and leads the WNBL in points scored (472), rebounds (293) and blocks (42).

She paved the way for Townsville’s all-important weekend road wins with a combined 67 points and 30 rebounds to also snare the WNBL’s player of the week.

“For me it’s about the love of the game, and everything else along the way I guess is a bonus,” Batkovic said.

“I started the season slow after having seven months off and that’s a long time, but now I’m just starting to play like me again, and it’s the right time of the season to be peaking the way I am.”

Saturday’s game against the Boomers at Townsville RSL Stadium will determine whether the Fire host a WNBL semi-final a week later.

Wilson said she would fight tooth and nail to ensure her fairytale season ended with Townsville’s first championship.

“I’m happy to play finals regardless of where we play, and to be in this team is pretty special,” she said.

“If I won rookie of the year and then a championship, obviously it would be the perfect start to my WNBL career.

“(But) this game on Saturday is going to be huge and we can’t go into this game lightly and think it’s just going to happen.”

Wilson already has an impressive list of achievements to her name, having won the 2013 NAIDOC South Australian sportswoman of the year award and being nominated for the Deadly Award’s most promising new sports talent.